Every morning, Juli wakes me up and we go for a walk. At this point, it is around the neighborhood, but I anticipate the day when we can walk the Shunga Trail, a walking trail that goes through Topeka and which mostly follows the Shunga Creek. The entire trail is a thread of parkland and my favorite part is south of the VA Hospital and my old place of employment, the Kansas Neurological Institute. I like it because they have re-introduced the native prairie grasses and other vegetation. Except for the concrete path, about a mile of the trail is like being beyond the city limits--way beyond! Every quarter of a mile is marked a red strip of red concrete. It's a lovely place to walk and I'd be happy if, someday, my loved ones scattered my ashes out in the Shunga's grasses. As I said, Juli and I take a walk every morning. I use the term "walk" advisedly. Juli is a "full tilt bozo" person. Every so often, for no apparent reason, she will suddenly jump up and tear around the house or yard for several minutes. We call it "Goin' Turbo." Juli has been known to frequently go turbo, while on our walks. Since I am attached to her by an adjustable 15-foot leash, I find myself going turbo as well. Fortunately, for me, she usually stops (about the time I'm about to go cardiac) to smell the flowers or, er,--other things. I am currently trying to train her to "Walk!" but way too often, I thinks she thinks it means "Juli! Turbo!" Happily, she is managing to do more "loose leash" walking than she used to. One of these days, when she can walk two miles (and me too. I'm really out of shape although I'm not quite the blob pictured here) and is consistently obedient, we'll head out for a walk on the Shunga. Her willingness to walk more, is giving me a new "leash" (groan) on life, I can tell you. Credits: Weeds are "Scublands" created by Chris Oldershaw and Judith Ward. Fat me is Heavy Mike (although he's a P4 model). Jack Russell model is by Daio, adapted by permission from the SS Toy Dogs model by Silverleaf Studios (Poser Pros). Juli's texture adapted by me from Daio's "Toy Dog JR" texture. Toy Dog poses by Netherworks Studios. Morphing Medium Grass was a Net freebie. Everything else by me, including the background photo along Shunga Creek. Thanks for looking, Jeremy